Dear BU,
Grey and dreary autumn greetings from Budapest. Been awhile. Well on our way to Turkey Day. And Christmas just around the corner. Riley and Liam have both already compiled their lists and made Christmas cards for the big guy, talk about being prepared. It's PSPs on both their lists this year, hope Santa has been socking away the cash. Remember when you were little and you were happy to have some oranges and nuts in your stocking? Just kidding, I was pretty spoiled myself, but come on. Seems like every year it gets more and more extravagant. Keira has completely tuned into the program this year as well (she'll be three in January). Like a lightbulb was turned on, she has told me EVERY SINGLE TIME that the commercial comes on for the Pony Princess Castle (Can I just say GAG!) that she wants that from Ho-Ho. She then proceeded to inform me on Monday that she wants to call him and tell him. Trying to figure out how we might manage that one. Friend of mine who has been chased and accosted by some crazy cult here in Budapest told me yesterday that apparently you can actually talk to Jesus via email. Maybe Ho-Ho has the same ISP.

So, news from Budapest since we (I) last chatted. I arrived back from the US last Friday after more than two weeks in Maryland trying to help out with Bill's dad, who has been in and out of the hospital for almost two months with an incredibly nasty case of Pancreatitis. He is in the hospital as we speak, please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Good days and bad, but mostly bad. The doctors have now said that they will most likely have to open him up to get a better picture of what the heck's going on, they are just stumped at the moment.

Liam went with me to Maryland, and got to go trick-or-treating for the first time ever, very exciting stuff. I let him go by himself with his big cousin Mickey, who's 11, so he thought he was all that and a bag of chips. They were gone for two and a half hours and came back with ten pounds of candy each. Had to bring it back in the carryon to make sure it made it. Halloween here was a bust, as Keira had the chicken pox (see very funny photos on my other page, 'McGann Family Photos'), but we are hoping to put something together later in the month and have a belated party for the boys' friends like we usually do. Think I will scale it down a bit and limit it to ten kids, gets way out of hand otherwise. Keira has recovered for the most part, just a few spots remaining, and went back to her kindergarten this morning. They will have a St. Martin's Day celebration this afternoon at 4:00, where the kids all light up the lanterns that they've made and parade around the schoolyard singing a bunch of kooky German songs (it's actually a German/Hungarian nursery school). Should be a blast :)

Friday morning 10:30am here and Bill just arrived back home after several failed attempts at driving into the city to work this morning. Must be a traffic debacle somewhere, as he spoke to several colleagues who all said the city was gridlocked everywhere. So he's 'working' from home, which is a relative term these days. He is trying to stay motivated and get through the next two months (he's officially done on Dec.22nd), have no idea how he's doing that. They have hired an American guy to come on board as the new reporting guru, or whatever you want to call him. All I have to say is good friggin' luck. Bill continues to explore opportunities on both sides of the pond but is very upfront with everyone in telling them that he fully intends to have a couple months of down time before jumping back into the soup. I continue to go back and forth daily with my thoughts on where we should be in the world, but as I've mentioned, it really boils down to where he finds the right job. I love being here so very much, and yet in so many ways I feel the need on a daily basis to scream my head off. I'm a raging lunatic anyway, so I would probably be that way on any continent. Stopped taking my 'crazy pills' last month (as Riley calls them, they are a very mild anti-depressant) and have surprisingly found that life without them is ok. Have taken them since just after Liam was born and never stopped, just out of habit. Am I oversharing again? Can hear my mom now, 'Why do you need to tell the whole world that kind of stuff'? :) Well, why not? Love me or don't, what you get is what I ramble on about.

Anyone have grand plans for the weekend? We are talking red-carpet excitement over here. Planning to catch up on some laundry, change a few light bulbs, do a big grocery shop. I know, hard to remain calm when pondering the glamour of it all. Actually, after my bout with the flu Mon/Tues this week, I am totally geeked to just be home and getting something accomplished. Still in the throws of my inner-struggle with Christmas cards, and was thinking that maybe I could be really organized and get them started before the month of December. Any thoughts on the subject? I really hate doing them. Haven't, actually, in a couple years, but there is this guilty thing that always sits there, eating away at my holiday spirit. And the confict continues....

Well, speaking of accomplishing something, should probably go get a shower and do something useful. Like catching up on my Hollywood gossip :) All I can say is, thank the good Lord that Britney finally called it quits with that slug of a slimeball Kevin Federline. Words can express my relief. I really am, as they say, 'deep as a puddle', but I do love my 'Rag Mags'. Am upset to hear about Reese and Ryan, thought they had a chance. I know, I know...Kerry, get a life. Will sign off for now. Have a great weekend. xoxo.